Look beyond
by Ikataja
Summary: What happens when masks begin to crumple and walls are torn down?


Chapter One - First things revealed

Home sweet home! Was there anything better than returning to Hogwarts after a long and boring summer? Draco couldn't think of anything. "Harry!" Oh, well, maybe there was. Couldn't St. Potter and his sidekicks stay home for once? Uh, perhaps not, it was their last year in Hogwarts. "Ronald, Hermione, _**so**_ good to see you." Huh? Potter and sarcasm? "Harry, what happened? Why do you look like this? How-" "Ah, now you care, Granger, even though you didn't give a damn during the holidays. Perhaps I don't want to tell you now." "Mate, what's wrong? Why do you speak with 'Mione that way? She was only asking!" "Shut up, Ronald, you're not better than her. As for my holidays and what happened to me, let's say I grew up." Now he definetely had to turn around and see this new Potter for himself. What the -? Boots, snug trousers, black tank and a black cloak, its hood drawn deep into his face. Curse it, was Potter taller than Draco? Weasel and Beaver gapped at him, while Potter himself strode off to the Hogwarts Express. "Oh Ron, what happened to Harry?" "Maybe the Death Eaters caught and brainwashed him!" Yeah, sure. As if they would catch the Golden Boy, brainwash him and let him go after the holidays… "Don't be silly, Ron, you know Harry is immune to Imperius." He was? Interesting. Draco decided to go have a closer look at Potter, he'd sure find him somewhere in the Express, but fate made its call. "DRAY! C'mon, we've got Prefects meeting!" Of course. His best but irritating and sometimes very naïve friend: Blaise Zabini. Horniest guy who ever studied in Hogwarts. Apart from Draco, that is. "Dray, get your fat behind over here!" Perhaps living without a best friend wasn't that bad…with all the grace and elegance a Malfoy could muster, he walked over to Blaise, breathed deep…and whacked him over the head. Hard. "Damn you, Dray, whatever was that for?!" "For calling me fat. Now get _**your**_ lazy behind onto the train, Zabini." Blaise turned on his heels and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "sexual frustrations".

About one hour later, the Prefects meeting finished - it was nonsense anyway, they all knew the rules, even if they didn't follow them always - Blaise, Theo(dore Nott) and Draco searched an empty compartment and found one near the end of the train. They played several parties of chess, discussed quidditch and brooms and talked about what their DADA teacher would be like this year. Draco's guess was a vampire, Blaise was sure it would be a goblin, and Theo couldn't decide between a demon and a fae. After a while, Blaise excused himself and left. Theo burried his nose in a Ancient Runes magazine, and Draco was bored. When Blaise didn't come back after 15 minutes, he went looking for him. Yes, he was curious. For a visit on the privy, Blaise didn't need a quarter hour, and if he had gone for a shag, he would have told him. He always did. So where had he gone?

Draco walked past other compartments, until he saw a dark, familiar shape in a doorway. "Hey Potter, lost your little fan club? Need some comfort?" "Fuck off, Zabini, I'm not in the mood." Strange, Blaise had never been one to argue with Potter, he just ignored him. "Geez, Harry" Harry?! "Can't friends joke with each other?" FRIENDS?! Oh Merlin, now he knew it: This was some way too creepy nightmare. "Never mind the joke, Blaise, come in or leave me alone, but close the damn door!" "Alright, no need to shout…by the way, I delivered your messages. Don't I get a little reward?" "Zabini…" Oho, Potter could growl. Wait, back to focus: Blaise Zabini, his best friend, was joking with Potter? Calling him by his given name? And didn't tell him?! Draco had to hear this conversation.

Slowly advancing, he came near the glass door. Alas, the curtains had been drawn. Still, he could hear the two inside quite well. "Is my charme that irresistible that you have to cover your eyes, Jamie?" Jamie? Stupid nickname. "Ha ha, bloody funny, Blaise, but no." "So, why else is your hood still up?" "Think, Zabini. Holidays just finished…" "Oh shit, I forgot about that." "Lucky you." "What happened?" "The usual, just a little more." Draco heard Blaise inhale sharp. Why was Potter so, so sad? And why was Blaise so touched by it? "Oh Harry, what have they done to you?" "You don't really want to see…" "Someone has to fix you up again. Where are Ginny and Neville, by the way?" "Busy keeping my former friend away from me so I could rest." "I see. Well, down with that hood, Mr Potter, and off with the shirt." "Sir yes sir, want me to salute?" "Stop being a prat, Potter, just do it." Short silence. "Holy shit, Harry! What the hell happened?" "Which time do you mean?" "Your scar…and all these other injuries." "I went flying trough my window." "Your window? As in your room upstairs?!" "Well, Vernon _**accidently**_ shoved me out while I was scrubbing the window glass." "But, did they call a doctor, the ambulance, any medical help?" "You think I'd be still looking like this then?" "Okay, but how come nobody noticed?" "Oh, the guards did notice, but since I'm not dead…" "…they supose you are well." That didn't sound like Potter's home at all. This Vernon, wasn't that his uncle? And he shoved his (very famous) nephew out of a second store window, without calling help afterwards? That couldn't be right. Absolutely not.

Before Draco could think of a way to act, a firm hand touched his shoulder. He turned and looked into his godfather's eyes. "Draco, what are you doing here? Didn't your father tell you not to eavesdrop?" "Yes, Uncle Severus, but, you see…" "I saw enough. Now, return to your compartment, and take Blaise along, will you?" "How…?" "I have my ways." With that said, Professor Snape knocked and entered at once. "Good day, Blaise, Harry." "Good day, Professor." "Mr Zabini, however thoughtful it is to try helping a hurt comerade, calling a teacher would have been more sensible. Now leave, and say Theodore hello from me." "Will do, Professor. See you, Harry, I'll come by later." "See you, Blaise." Blaise left the compartment, saw his comrade, and stopped. "Dray? What are you doing here?" Draco wasn't sure what he answered. There, on the window seat, sat Harry Potter. His famous scar, unique in her own way, had usually stretched from the right temple to just above the nose, but now it continued down the left cheek, right past his left eye. It was a wonder it was still intact. Potter's chest didn't look any better, he had cuts and bruises drapped there like a morbid shirt. Draco couldn't believe his eyes. "If you are done oogling me, Malfoy, move and go joke about St. Potty who couldn't fight against his muggle relatives elsewhere…" "Stop it, Harry! You know you have no guilt!" "Why, Professor, my guilt is that I exist!" "HARRY!" Blaise shouted in a mix of worry and annoyance. "Quit it, Zabini, you don't know what it's like." "No, I don't, and I wished you didn't either. Go rest, Harry, we'll talk soon." "I figured. Blaise, Malfoy." Severus had by now gathered and shrunk all of Potter's possessions and lead him down the train to the teacher's compartment. "Dray, what are you doing here?" "I went looking for you and couldn't resist listening in when I heard you chat friendly with Potter of all people." "Uh, well, I guess I _**should**_ have told you…" "Probably. Care to enlighten me?" "I suppose. Let's get back to our compartment, Theo should hear this too." "Very well."

Opening the compartment door, Harry came face to face with his favourite teacher and elderly friend. "Hi Remus." "Harry! Gods, you look awful!" "Really? I hadn't noticed." "Sorry. Sit down, Cub, I'll get some new clothes for you to dress in when Severus has finished healing you." Harry sat down in the window seat and and breathed carefully. Severus noticed and handed Harry a pain reliever potion while he worked on fixing the prominent scar. The ravenhaired student gulped the potion and nodded his thanks to the professor. Remus had taken to healing the numberless small injuries gracing Harry's chest and arms. "Out the window, you said? I dare say you got away lucky with some bruises." Remus inhaled sharply. "That's it. You'll never go back to that house, even if I have to kill your relatives myself." "Where else could I go, Rem? I don't want anyone dear to me to die because I spent my holidays there, in case old Voldie is on the hunt again." "You are always welcome at Cub's Haven. We know the risks and are willing to take them for your benefit." Harry sighed and looked at his teachers who had both become so much more to him. He considered them his parents, and he knew they saw him like a son. "I know, and I thank you for that, but we all know Dumbledore wouldn't let me go anywhere else than Privet Drive, _**because I have to be safe.**_ The old fool keeps going on like this, he will find his precious weapon dead by starvation and mistreatment." "Harry, you are not required to stay at that place for the wards anymore. The Manor in Godric's Hollow is being rebuilt, and the wards there are far more powerful than anyone expected. The three of us could set up home there, what do you think?" Remus asked expectantly. Harry smiled. "I think it's a wonderful idea, Rem. Are you sure it's possible?" "If not, we'll make thinks work, don't you worry. Between the three of us, we'll manage." "Remus is right. Well, you should be as well as possible right now, Harry." Severus stood and looked Harry over, then handed him a green shirt. "You've grown over the summer. I think we'll go shopping again." "I'll never again go shopping with Order guys…" "Why, the leather pants _**do**_ suit you." "True, you look hot in them." The door had opened again, and Hermione Granger stood in the doorway, with a big grin on her face. "Hey there. I'm surprised you got away from the Weasel." "Ginny, Neville and Seamus are discussing Quidditch with him." "Ah, that explains everything." "Indeed. Now, how are you? You look taller." "I didn't lie when I said I grew up, and Sev patched me up already. How are you yourself? Gin said something about dramatics in her last letter…" Sighing, the witch stepped closer and settled next to Harry. Remus and Severus had taken the other bench. "Well, you know my parents are muggles, so they are a bit unsure as to how to handle it that their daughter fights in a Wizarding War. The Weasleys visited last week, and Molly let it slip that I belong to your group right at the battle front. That night, my parents demanded that I leave the Wizarding World for good and live as a muggle again. When I resisted, they set an ultimatum: To leave our world or to stay without family in the Wizarding World. They hoped I would break under this pressure and stay with them. I sneaked away last night and came to the station, and well, here I am." "Oh Herm, why didn't you stay there? Why leave your family?" Harry asked with a sad tone. "To give up my power and live as a muggle? Forever remembering my place in the Wizarding World, but never able to return? To leave all my friends not only behind, but at war? I couldn't, Harry. It was to much to ask." "I understand, and yet I don't. I doubt I could ever leave my family…" "You are my family, you and Gin and Nev, the rest of the DA, and Rem and Sev here, of course." Silently Harry opened his arms. Herm clung to him as she sobbed. The professors looked somewhat torn between pity and affection. "I hate to breach the topic, but you need your guardian's approval to visit Hogwarts, Herm, until you turn seventeen. Who is taking care of you?" Herm looked at Severus with watered eyes. "By now, I guess they know I'm gone, so I have no one. Somebody, probably Ronald, told Dumbledore of my parents' ultimatum, and he offered to take guardianship for those few months until my birthday." "That won't do, he'll likely cage you, overprotective as he is. It doesn't matter you've seen as much battlefields as I, he'll treat you like a child that has to be kept save from war and harm." "Is there no other way?" "I would do it, Herm, but we both now that a Death Eater istn't trusted." "Unfortunately, the same goes for werewolves. Even if we tried to claim guardianship of you, Dumbledore would seem the better choice. Cub, what's that pensieve look for?" "I just remembered something Blaise told me. In case no parent is around, every other member of near family who is of age can take guardianship of a child. Family gets the right of guardianship before another person not related. And Blaise's father is Head of the Family Issues Department, meaning we could easily make the deal work. So, what do you think, Herm? Want me as your caretaker?" Herm stared at Harry wide-eyed, then threw herself at him. "You are the best!" Harry laughed, the three others joined him. "Very well. I'll set up a letter to Minister Bones, we talked a bit at Scrimgeour's funeral last year. I'm sure she's on our side if we have good arguments." "Amelia is a very fair witch, and she likes you, Harry." "Brilliant!" Harry searched his suitcase for a bit of paper and a pen, writing down his request when he had found it. "Sev, Rem, would you sign as witnesses? Then Herm could add her own note about wanting me to get guardianship of her." "Sure thing." Both adult wizards signed, afterwards Hermione stated her wish for Harry to get custody and for them to become siblings legally. Minutes later, Hedwig flew off to the Ministry of Magic.

"But Harry, what about my status with the Gryffindors? I'm still supposed to be Ronald's girlfriend." "You only did it to keep his focus on you instead of me, dump him already. We'll deal with the consequences." Severus coughed. "I suppose it's best, for both of you. Of course, you will be welcome to share Remus' and mine quarters, since we think of you as our children." Herm smiled and went to embrace her "fathers" while Harry grinned evilly. "Do I get to call you Daddy in class?" Severus sent him a mild glare, Remus smiled. "Insolent brat." "Your insolant brat." "Yes, ours." The professors each took one of Harry's hands and drew him into the group hug. Harry and Herm enjoyed the feeling of having a real family. "By the way, Herm, you are now related to quite a lot wizarding families." "You did a little research, o brother mine?" Harry blew her a raspberry. "Yes, believe it or not. Petunia mentioned having relatives in Ireland when Dudley asked about a family tree for a school project of his. It seems that Grandmother Evans had a cousin in Ireland, Mary O'Sullivan. Her daughter, Elaine, married Patrick Finnegan." "So we are cousins with Seamus?" "Exactly. You realize you are family of half the Seventh Year Gryffindor boys?" "Why half?" "Dean won't be coming back. Apparently his parents made him choose like yours, and he chose to stay there." "We already lost one of our year before school has even started. I wonder how much muggleborns and halfbloods will be in Hogwarts." "Few muggleborns, I guess, but most halfbloods will stand their ground. They want to show the world not all halfbloods are bad like Voldemort." "How do you know?" "In fact, many students are halfbloods, you just don't realize it because they were prepared for magic by their magical parent. Seamus is, the Patil twins are, Millicent Bulstrode is, Blaise is, Sev is, I am kind of one…" "I shouldn't be surprised. Just like snakes to blend into the invironment…" "Why, thank you." Severus and Harry promptly answered. Remus sighed, Herm rolled her eyes.

"Oh, Harry, I just remembered your letter in holidays. You wrote it was your best summer ever and you'd tell me on the train. What happened, and how come you came back beaten up?" "Well, it's a long story...and somewhat complicated, too." "Why? What happened?" The compartment door opened. "I happened. Hello everybody", Millicent Bulstrode said with a smile. Hermione, Remus and Severus looked somewhat puzzled, while Harry was grinning. "Hey Milli. Come on in, you can help me tell the story." "Very well." Harry shifted into the middle of the bench so Millicent could sit on his other side. "Right, where should I start..."

TBC

Well, this plot bunny has been around for a while, but of course it went into hiding as soon as I started writing. So, I don't know when there'll be chapter 2, sorry about that. R&R please ;)


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